This invention relates to a pants-type disposable wearing article to absorb and to retain body exudates.
Japanese Patent Application No. 1995-155344A discloses a pants-type disposable diaper generally composed of a pants member comprising a front waist region, a rear waist region and a crotch region extending between these waist regions, and a liquid-absorbent pad comprising a liquid-pervious topsheet, a liquid-impervious backsheet and a liquid-absorbent core interposed between these sheets so as to be attached to the inner side of the pants wherein the absorbent pad includes a pair of end flaps extending outward from front and rear ends of the core and a pair of side flaps extending outward from transversely opposite side edges of the core and the end flaps are connected to the pants in the front and rear waist regions.
The absorbent pad is provided with a pair of leak-barrier flaps extending outside from the side edges of the core. Free side edge portions of the respective leak-barrier flaps are provided with elastically stretchable members bonded in a stretched state thereto. With this diaper of prior art, the elastic members contract as the absorbent pad is curved its longitudinal direction with the topsheet inward and contraction of the elastic members cause the free side edge portions to rise on the core. In the pad, the free side edge portions of the respective leak-barrier flaps form barriers against body exudates and eliminate the possibility that the body exudates might leak from the crotch region.
In the case of the article disclosed in the above-cited Publication, longitudinally opposite end portions of the leak-barrier flaps attached to the absorbent pad are laid down outwardly in the transverse direction of the pad and bonded to the side flaps in such a laid down state. Consequently, so far as the longitudinally opposite end portions are concerned, the leak-barrier flaps can not function as the barriers against the body exudates and leakage of the body exudates can not be prevented in the front and rear waist regions of the pants. In addition, depending upon a stretch stress of the elastic members attached to the respective leak-barrier flaps, the free side edge portions of the leak-barrier flaps may sometimes be unable to rise on the core.